Golf-practice apparatus



March 10, 1925. 1,528,909

E. s. BULLQBD GoL'F PRACTICE APPARATUS Filed Aug. 18, 1922 Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED I STATES o r 1,528,909 PATENT ()FFICE.

' ERNEST. s. BULLARD, or WfiEELiNG, wEs'rvIaGINIa. assrenon or ONE-HALF TO W. E. WEISS, or WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

Gone-PRACTICE renames.

kpp lication filed August 18, 1992. Serial No. 582,680.

T 0 all-whom it may concern Be it" known that I, ERNns'r S. BULLARD,

a citizen of the United. States of America,

and resident of \Vheeling, county of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf Practice Apparatus; of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates} broadly to game apparatus, and more specifically to a golf practice device of captive type;

The primary object of the invention is toprovide an improved formof golf-practice device adapted for either outdoor" or indooruse. i Y

A further object is to provide a: captive 5 golf ball having permanently associated therewith a teefro-m-whichit may be driven and tethering means a which not only permits stroke to which the ball is subjected is a pull or a slice.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the featuresof construction, arrangement of parts and combinations of elements which will hereinafter be fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention, showing the ball mounted upon the tee; Figure 2 is a viewpartly in side elevation and partly in section, showing a modified form of connection between the elastic cord and the ball; I V

Figure 3 is a detail View of the structure shown in Fig. 1, illustrating features of the invention;

Figure 4 is an under face View of the tee; and- Figure 5 is a perspective View, reduced, showing a pad with the apparatus tethered thereto.

Referring to said drawings, 1 indicates a golf ball which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, has the end portions of a looped thong 2,

' preferably of rawhide or a rubberized shoe lace, directed centrally therethrough. The ends of said thong are suitably attached to gether, as by a suitable wrapping 2 of cord, tape, or thelike, which forms an anchoring enlargement designed to seat within a countersink or depression 3'provided therefor in the surface ofth'e ball so that said enlargement or anchor is not exposed to injury.

The-looped thong 2'is preferably made of short length, as from four to eight inches, and suitably attached to theloop end of said thong is an elastic cord 4 which, as herein 'shown and' as at present preferred, consists of rubber tubing, but which may be made of GlfiStlC webbing or any other material possessing the requisite elasticity and wearing qualities. Said cord 4i may beof any desired length, that preferred for indoor use being about two feet long, while a much greater length may be employed for outdoor prac tice. The outer endof said cord is tied or otherwise fastened to a stationary member, as the tethering pin 5 shown in Fig. 1 or the pad Bshown in Fig. 5-, according as the apparatus is employed in outdoor or indoor practice. Said cord is sufliciently elastic to permit the ball to bedriven throughout such a considerable distance that the player is able todiscern the character of the stroke delivered and to determine from the course of flight whether the ball was struck in the manner intended; From the direction of twist of the cord=the player is enabled todetermine whether the ball was pulled or sliced. Obviously, the tubular form of elastic rubber cord is admirably adapted to the use for the reason that it tends to right itself following twisting thereof.

Loosely encircling-the thong 2 is a hollow cylindrical member 7 of lightweight material', preferably rubber tubing, designed to serve as atee for supporting the ball and from which the latter may be driven by strokes applied in the usual manner. Said tee is also designed to protect the'tethering cord against injury from the strokes of the club. This tee is carried with the ball in the flight of the latter, or when no part to interfere therewith is carried by the cord, it may slip along the cord as the latter is drawn out. Provided in the cylindrical wall of the end of the tee which is to rest upon the ground or other surface is a recess 8 designed to receive the thong, as shown in Fig. 1, provision thus being made for allowing the tee to firmly seat in upright position. The hollow of the tee allows for the reception of a portion of the spherical surface of the ball, providing for the positive seating of the latter.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 2, the thong 2 is dispensed with and the rubber tubing 4 is extended to and through the ball. To reinforce that portion of the tubing in and adjacent to the ball which is most liable to injury from cuts and the like produced by misstrokes delivered by the player, a strong cord 9, such as a short length of shoestring, is permanently disposed within said port-ion. The opposite ends of said cord 9 are suitably attached to said tubing A, as by forming knots 10 therein and then wrapping said tubing, as shown at 11 and 12, to embrace tightly the cord adjacent to said knots.

A small tag-like clip 13, preferably of rubber, may be fixed at a suitable point adja-' cent to the ball, either upon the thong or upon the elastic tubing. Appearing upon the opposite faces of said clip are the words Pull and Slice, or other indicia designed by its position to indicate to the player the character of the stroke which has been delivered.

The mat or pad 6, preferably of substantially rectangular form and composed of a rubber composition, is particularly desirable for use in indoor practice, it being designed to protect or shield the floors or carpets from the scraping action of misdirected strokes of the club. As is manifest, the mat is employed as a seat or rest for the 'tee when the latter is disposed in operative positions.

It is to be understood that I contemplate various changes or modifications in the form and arrangement of some of the parts of the invention and that, therefore, I do not desire to limit myself to the precise structure herein disclosed except so far as may be required by the limitations imposed by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is- 1. A golf practice apparatus comprising a ball, tethering means for said ball including an elastic cord, and a hollow cylindrical tee for said ball, said tee having said tethering means directed therethrough and being provided at one end with a cordreceiving recess.

2. A golf practice apparatus comprising a ball, tethering means for said ball including an elastic cord, and a hollow cylindrical tee through whichsaid tethering cord is directed, said tee being freely movable along said cord and having a cord-receiving recess in the lower end thereof.

3. A golf practice apparatus comprising a ball, tethering means for said ball including an elastic cord formed of rubber tubing, and a hollow cylindrical tee for said ball, shiftable with respect to the latter said tee having said cord directed therethrough and being provided with a cord-receiving recess in an end thereof.

4:. A golf practice apparatus comprising a ball, a length of elastic rubber tubing attached to said ball, and inelastic tube-reinforcing means disposed within said tubing adjacent to the ball.

5. A golf practice apparatus comprising a ball, tethering means for said ball, said means including a length of elastic rubber tubing having an end directed through and anchored to the ball, and a relatively short length of inelastic cord disposed within the end of said tubing upon which the ball is carried, said cord having its ends held in fixed relation to said tubing and constituting a reinforcement for the latter.

6. A golf practice apparatus comprising a ball, tethering means for said ball, said means comprising a length of elastic tubing, means reinforcing the tubing adjacent to said ball, and a hollow cylindrical tee loosely carried by said tethering means.

7. A golf practice apparatus comprising a ball, tethering means for said ball, said means comprising a length of elastic tubing, means reinforcing the tubing adjacent to said ball, and a hollow cylindrical tee having said tethering means threaded loosely therethrough, said tee having the end thereof remote from the ball provided with a recess.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST S. BULLARD. lVitnesses G. 0. SMITH, H. E. Burner. 

